Wall clocks are wonderful items to consider when decorating a room or office. They are functional, stylish and come in a variety of themes and designs. They can be used as a single item or combined with a grouping of pictures or collection of clocks.

When looking for a great clock, consider the room you are decorating. While most people will stick to the particular period the room is decorated in, today's rules are much more flexible. A traditional or classic clock can become a focal point and look perfect for that contemporary room. There are many styles and sizes to choose from. If you are planning on placing a wall clock on a large wall with no other wall hangings, make sure you have one that is large enough so that it doesn't look lost in the space, and be sure to hang the clock at the appropriate height (usually a little above eye level). Placing your clock too high or too low will spoil the effect in the same way that a painting loses it's impact if placed too high on a wall. Think of your clock as piece of art.

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Wall clocks can be used in every room in the house. Don't forget the children's room. Children's clocks are colorful, fun and educational. You can find one for a child's special interest whether it be dinosaurs, rockets or butterflies. You can also make it real special by having it personalized with the child's name. Children just love something special with their name on it.

Wall Clock Designs - Decorate With Wall Clocks

The commercial wall clock has been designed for the work space, whether it is office or manufacturing. These are classic timepieces with clean lines that simply keep track of time and often date as well. The simple styling doesn't compete with the decor of the office or manufacturing environment. It is a functional item. In some areas, like manufacturing and its support functions, the basic clock is the perfect choice. When it comes to offices or reception areas, the commercial clock also has it's place, but there are also other options available that are more decorative. Based on the type of business, you can be creative and go for a traditional, classic or contemporary styling. You are only limited in your choices by your personal preferences. Reception areas give a first impression of your business. A well decorated space makes that first impression a positive one. A great timepiece is a good way to add functionality and beauty to that space.

Wall clocks are fun to decorate with! Clocks make great gifts. Check out the selection at The Wall Clock Shop, a great place for all your wall clock needs, whether you want a contemporary, traditional or a unique approach, we have a design for you.

Wall Clock Designs - Decorate With Wall Clocks

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If you've ever owned a home with kids, you know how messy those nice decorative light switch plates you put up can become in a relatively short time. It almost seems as soon as you turn your back, someone snuck into the bathroom or hallway and put a set of grubby handprints on those plates. If you were a CSI investigator you could probably hunt down the culprit. But instead you are just annoyed at the mess on those decorative light switch plates that were supposed to look so beautiful.

There are a few ways to counter the mess of finger marked decorative light switch plates. It's in knowing which plates hold and show the marks, and which ones don't.

Decorative

One of the easiest ways to keep those finger prints off the decorative light switch plates you so lovingly selected for your home is to have plates that don't make those prints obvious. Choosing metal plates, like copper and brass that have a texture to them can help. If you have a smooth copper or glass, it will show the fingerprints in obvious fashion, but with textured pieces of metal that have been cast into designs and shapes, all the grooves and indentations of the design make it hard for the fingerprints to transfer to the material. They will likely transfer to the upper portions of the design but will not be obvious and will be gone as soon as you wipe the surface.

Decorative Light Switch Plates - Easily Cleaned

Want something with a little more color? No problem. You can look into porcelain and ceramic decorative plates. These come in a number of beautiful designs, some even hand-painted becoming individual miniature artworks. While these will hold and accept fingerprints, a quick wipe off the slick surface will make those fingerprints just a bad memory that has gone away.

You could also consider hiding the fingerprints within a design. If you select marble decorative light switch plates, the fingerprints may not be overly obvious right away as those prints can blend in with the striations in the marble. Sure, you will know, but to a casual visitor, they will just see marble and move on. You can also take comfort in the fact that those marble switch plates will be easy to clean once the guests aren't looking and ready to hide even more prints in the future.

Another style of decorative light switch plates that will disguise fingerprints until you have time to clean them are upholstered plates. We're not talking typical upholstery fabric over a plate, but upholstery fabric that has been put over a plate and then glazed a number of times. When this is done properly the finished pieces feel like they well may be decorative light switch plates made of ceramic. These layers of glaze make them very easy to wash, and the fact that upholstery fabric is underneath means there is an endless variety of designs to choose from.

We all know the decorative light switch plates you put in your home can help define the space. Now you can select the pieces to give your home character, but also that you can keep clean and new looking, day after day.

It is almost impossible for you not to have heard of the Murano glass and the beautifully products made using it. Murano is one of the most desired destination for tourists and art and jewelry lovers. Murano is a region known for its glass products since the early 13th century and its products are extremely priced at glass and jewelry fairs, exhibits and auctions. All Murano glass products are manufactured by hand and each is given a lot of attention to detail and finesse. Simply put, you will not find more exquisite glass items than those produced in Murano.

If you are interested in a new clock for you or to offer as a gift, a Murano glass wall clock can be the perfect solution. Murano glass wall clocks are some of the most beautifully handcrafted clocks in the world and their secret is that all the clock's mechanisms and dials are on one side and another of a plate made of Murano glass. It comes in all sorts of colors (and because the manufacturing processes have been refined for centuries, the color intensity and nuance are unrivaled).

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Murano glass wall clocks are built with an extreme attention for fine detail and you can choose among the many models available. It all depends on what you like and what you are looking for: you can find clocks inspired by the sun, inspired by various musical instruments, or by other ancient motifs or sciences: Roman motifs, mosaic, astronomical or horoscope motifs and many, many more).

Murano Glass Wall Clocks - Combining Beauty and Elegance

Murano glass clocks come in a large palette of colors so you can buy the color that suits your needs. The glass is colored during its manufacturing process and not painted on top afterwards, so you are guaranteed that your wall clock's color will last for as long as the clock will. Murano glass makers are famous for their glass's aquamarine (they obtain this color by including copper and cobalt compounds during the manufacturing process) and for their ruby reds (which uses a gold solution to give its shiny aspect and intense color).

Usually, wall clocks are round and with large dials so you can read the time anytime without any problems. Even when looking at the clock's dials you will notice the time spent in arranging all the clock's details. Clocks that are decorated with more complex motifs and paintings are simply astonishing and if you intend to buy a clock to be offered as a gift, you can be sure that your present will be noticed.

All the Murano glass wall clocks are manually built in specialized shops, ensuring you a great clock durability and reliability. Most clocks are battery operated and all you have to do is to change it when it is finished. Buying such a wall clock will surely give your room another look due to their beauty and craftsmanship.

Modern wooden clocks could be of any kind. They could be clocks made using traditional designs out of wood. They could be clocks in modernistic designs. So, the design could be quite traditional or it could be quite radical. Mostly, they may be made of wood. But that doesn't mean that it could not be made of a combination of other materials. A wooden modern clock could very well be made of wood combined with some other component.

Modern wooden clocks are available in various designs and styles. From very plain designs and styles to very intricately designed ones. They can be the usual looking conventional types. Or they could be very stylish and complicated ones.

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They come in various types also. They could be wall-mounted, table top kinds, or the grandfather clocks. No wonder it can be very confusing for a clock collector to decide which wooden clock they should go ahead and buy.

The Different Types of Wooden Clocks

If you are a collector of modern wooden clocks, then you can collect them in various designs and styles from various clock designers and clock producers.

There are some clocks which have a traditional watch face. And then there are some which have a digital led face instead. In some of these clocks, you will find that the traditional clock face has been reworked and remade into something quite stylish and sophisticated.

The choices are many. So, you won't find it difficult to find differently looking modern wooden clocks for your own personal collection. Wood can be carved in various ways and in different shapes. It is possible to use it in combination with many other materials also. What's more, it can also be colored using different colors. So, don't think that you will have any problem in finding suitable pieces for your collection.

There are also clocks with pendulums made of wood and glass. Then some of them are made with bamboo with led timepieces. They can be very uniquely shaped. Some can even give the look of a beautiful sculpture.

The wood used in these clocks can vary. Pine, oak, and birch are probably the most popular woods that are used to make these clocks.

The Different Types of Wooden Clocks

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When considering a piece of art for your walls, it is important to take into account the artist. In this case, we are talking about wall clocks and the 'artists' are the brands behind the clocks themselves. In a very real sense, they are the same thing. If you want a quality piece of art, you seek out a very qualified artist. There are many types of art, but it would be fair to say that in the case of a clock, design, craftsmanship and quality are important characteristics.

There are many different brands of clocks to choose from. Some of my favorite styles come from renowned brands such as Bulova and Seiko. Interestingly, Seiko is a Japanese brand that started out as Seikosha. Both of these brands are probably more well known for their watches than their clocks here in the United States at least. Another nice choice in clock design and craftsmanship is Hermle. These are known for nice lines and craftsmanship. You can shop for them in one of their three categories: elegant, classical and contemporary.

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Another very popular choice is the Howard Miller wall clock brand. Within this brand, you can find a variety of contemporary styles. This company was started in 1926 by 21 year old Howard Miller. He was trained by his father in the Black Forest region of Germany. The company became popular for their focus on grandfather clocks that began in the 1960s. Since then, they have continued to create finely crafted hanging time pieces.

Looking at Brand Name Wall Clocks

Another player in the wall clock market is Infinity Instruments. They are a relatively new company and have many affordable styles. Their look is more contemporary with large wall clocks being one of note. While they have different looks, the majority seem to be well designed for today's modern home decors. Many different styles of circular clocks are their signature. If you are looking for a pendulum clock or something like an antique wall clock with a wooden case, you should look to one of the other brands.

Finally, I'd like to mention Seth Thomas as another manufacturer of wall clocks. This company is another that has been around for a long time. The company is America's oldest clockmaker since 1813. Can you believe that? This company has the distinct honor of having their clock in Grand Central Station in New York City. Now, their clocks for your home's walls, can be a bit more subdued and refined. They remain one of the nicest choices for your consideration in the wall clock market.

Decorative architectural brackets can be made from stone, concrete, wood, plastic, foam, composites, and PVC materials. They were historically used for structural supports, however, in modern times they are more often used for decorative purposes. For this reason, foam is commonly used in the commercial industry as an affordable way to add bracket accents to a home. Wood, however, is a popular choice because of it's ability to provide structure and because it can be left unpainted to provide a distinct look that reminds us of nature. Wood brackets were extremely popular in the craftsman era and they have begun to make a comeback in modern times as home buyers are paying more and more attention to architectural detail. PVC brackets are another option that offers the look of painted wood and the longevity of foam. These restoration brackets can be fabricated as custom brackets because they are not made from the same molding techniques as foams.

Architectural brackets are commonly seen in craftsman style homes and have made a comeback with the advent of new no rot materials that allow these beautiful accents to have lasting power. The craftsman style architecture highlighted many simple, yet beautiful details that added a unique touch and style of architecture to many homes. During the current 2008 housing recession many builders have turned to the use of architectural brackets and other architectural details on the outside of homes to boost curb appeal and attract potential home buyers. Here's a little bit of information that will help you learn more about what type of material is best for your decorative bracket needs.

Decorative

Cedar wood brackets are most common for small quantities needed in custom sizing and. Finding a local handyman or woodworker to build on site is common. The use of a custom millworks company is most appropriate for custom needs. There, different fabrication techniques can be used in a cost-effective manner to get specialty items duplicated for you. Cedar wood is easy to work with and these types of decorative brackets can be easily fabricated for most architectural needs. Cedar wood brackets offer the advantage of being able to be left natural, stained, or even painted. When stained, there is no material that can be substituted to provide the same raw look.

Decorative Architectural Brackets

To install wood brackets for structural support, it is important that the brackets themselves be anchored to a part of the house that is usually load bearing. The use of lag bolts is common for such a task. To accomplish this, a large 2" diameter hole is countersunk with a ¾" pilot hole for the lag bolt. This is done into the wood bracket at key structural points and a matching wood plug is cut out to later hide the lag bolt. Once the hole is countersunk, pass a long lag bolt with a 3/8" diameter and a 1 1/2" washer on it through the hole. Tighten it into the wall so that it grabs a stud or use a lag anchor to screw it into concrete, brick, or rock.

Foam polyurethane brackets are perhaps most common in commercial applications where they are installed for decorative purposes and in large quantities under overhangs. They can drastically improve the look and appeal of the building as well as the overall experience for the shoppers. For foam brackets, the use of construction adhesive is usually most appropriate to attach them. Decorative foam brackets are not at all meant to be structural, however, they give the appearance that they are supporting nonetheless. They are manufactured with molds cheaply and so they are usually less available in custom shapes and sizes.

Brackets fabricated from restoration PVC materials, like the name implies, are good for applications that need to last a lifetime, but also need to be custom. This is a great material choice over foam when the quantity is smaller and more custom. Restoration brackets made from PVC, are less structural than cedar and wood, however, as their name implies they are used in modern times for restoration purposes and to replace wooden brackets that were never meant to last forever. Restoration brackets look identical to wood when painted, but will last virtually forever and provide more durability and customization than foam. PVC, unlike vinyl, has a matted finish to it and is a solid material that holds paint exceptionally well. These architectural brackets are installed much the same way as wood brackets. At times, they can be hollowed out for easier installation with a strip of dead wood. Since they are non-structural this is usually a good idea. They are a much more durable option than foam when the brackets are installed in low places that are accessible to passing hands. They can also toe nailed with fasteners or glued with PVC glue onto a PVC backing for extra support.

Stones, marbles, and concretes are most commonly used in commercial architecture, skyscrapers, and other Greek and roman style architectures. They are sometimes molded with rebar coming out of the back end when made from concrete. The advantage to this is that for the installation, concrete can be poured over the rebar for a strong attachment that allows the corbel to stick out of the building and support anything above it. There are other techniques used as well depending on the application and structural capacity involved with concrete, stone, and marble corbel brackets.

Decorative Architectural Brackets

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Digital atomic wall clocks and watches include a feature which automatically updates the clock's time once a day, so you never have to worry about it. Atomic wall clocks are so accurate that there are even six digit models displaying hours, minutes and seconds, accurate to the second.

Manufacturers supply them both with faces as analog atomic clocks, and with LCDs (liquid crystal displays) as digital atomic clocks. The use of the word 'atomic' refers to the atomic nature of the timing which uses a semiconductor crystal. Don't be concerned though about radiation emissions, as there is nothing radioactive in them, despite the name.

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Every atomic wall clock is radio controlled and updates the time it shows automatically daily, and this makes them accurate to one second per day, which means you'll never have to worry about setting the time again. With an atomic wall clock, that stress will be a thing of the past - just remember to replace the batteries periodically.

By automatically resetting, atomic wall clocks put an end to that potentially risky situation for busy people, where your clock is showing the wrong time.

Atomic wall clocks come in a wide variety of designs and I have a model which even though the lights are out, shows me exactly what time it was thanks to light emitting hands.

Atomic clocks even reset themselves for Daylight Savings Time.

These self-setting atomic wall clocks can often b bought with large liquid crystal (LCD) displays in either 12 or 24 hour versions.

Atomic watches allow for the ultimate in convenience, and the so called 'atomic time' comes with optional alarm and snooze functions just as for alternative type timepieces.

Atomic Weather Clocks

Several atomic weather clock models are available that include a remote sensor to display outdoor temperature.

There are models of Atomic Wall Clock with forecast and temperature displays from a built-in thermometer to display the both outdoor and indoor temperatures. For ultimate ease in setting these devices up, it comes with a wireless remote sensor to access the outdoor temperature, without recourse to wiring.

The La Crosse XG-55 goes even further and is a digital adventure watch that's also a thermometer, weather forecaster, chronograph, and countdown timer as well as a dual time watch with calendar and two daily alarms.

Battery

Despite the sophisticated technology housed within these clocks, they do not draw a high power. Most of these clocks are battery powered and completely wireless. So with an atomic clock just like an ordinary clock, you can place it almost anywhere. Smaller Atomic clocks will operate on one AA alkaline battery (not usually included with your purchase) with a normal life of about one year.

Conclusion

Atomic wall clocks can be elegant or functional and can provide other services, including temperature measurement. However, they all have one thing in common in that the time never needs resetting, s long as the battery is always charged. An Atomic Wall Clock is always worth considering when you are choosing a new clock as an attractive, affordable atomic clock model can usually be found to your taste, which will give you the most reliable time, and in addition will go well in any room of your home or office.

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Long case clocks, tallcase clocks, and grandfather longcase clocks refer to the same thing. Grandfather clocks have many names and they happen to be among the ancient models existing today. A typical grandfather clock is tall, freestanding and its pendulum is fitted inside a lovely long narrow casing. The ancient clocks were plainly mechanical wooden boxes that covered a substantial floor space. The modern grandfather clocks are still big but the wall clock options are available. The shape of the clock face and case has been altered since the mid seventeenth century. Another element that has been changed over the years is the grandfather clock movement.

In the olden days, the longcase grandfather clocks were manufactured with two types of movements. There was the eight-day movement and the 30-hour or one-day movement.

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The eight-day movement

Grandfather Clock Movement - 3 Types of Clock Movement

This type of a clock movement would only require you to wide it once a week. Usually, an eight-day clock was run by two weights. One weight drove the pendulum and the other weight drove the striking mechanism. A striking mechanism consisted of chimes or a bell. On either side of the dial, were two keyholes used for the winding process. A great example of a clock that uses an eight-day movement is the Thomas Ross. Find this clock online and view its parts.

The one-day movement

The one-day or 30 hour movement required winding on a daily basis. The clocks using this movement had one weight to run both the striking mechanism and timekeeping system. These were certainly the inexpensive styles bought by those people who could not pay for the eight-day movement clocks. The manufacturers back then had found a way of making the one-day and eight-day look similar. A few 30-hour movement clocks had fake keyholes to imitate the eight-day two keyholes. The eight-day movement clocks were expensive.

Longcase clocks movement today

Most longcase clocks you are likely to get today have eight-day movement. Their weights are suspended using cables and they have a pulley system. Other clocks weights are suspended using chains and they have a gear system. The mechanical or the type of movement that involves weights, chains and a pendulum continues up to date. A company such as Hermle continues to manufacture grandfather clock movement for other watch companies.

The clocks that are not mechanical use electronic movement. They normally use what is called the quartz movement. Hermle specializes in quart movement as well. It can be described as a process through which electronic impulses pass from a battery via a quartz crystal. This powers the clock movement at frequent intervals. When an electric charge is applied to the quartz crystal it vibrates thus the battery charges it, which in turn moves the clock hands.

It as well drives the chimes and the pendulum. The movement made specifically by Hermle tends to last longer regardless of the mechanical or electronic style. There are many stores available on the Web that can sell movements to you. You may have to change the clock's weights and movement if they are faulty. You can find both the antique and contemporary grandfather clock movement fast and securely online.

Grandfather Clock Movement - 3 Types of Clock Movement

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from grandfather wall clock to professional basketball. Thanks for reading!

Many styles of architecture have utilized the architectural bracket or corbel in its design. The colonial style of architecture is famous for dentil work and highly decorative corbels. The Victorian style made use of decorative brackets with lots of flair. The craftsman style of architecture popularized again architectural detail in its use of decorative supports in the eves and overhangs. More modern architecture, however, during the late 90s and early 21st century has take a more modest and economical approach to architecture, relying more heavily on functionality and efficiency.

Lately, however, with the downturn in the housing market, the buyers market has brought architectural detail back into architecture. Builders competing with one another for potential home buyers have had to enhance curb appeal to attract interest. With the advent of no rot materials such as AZEK and Versatex, PVC brackets have become popularized in the industry. Decorative PVC brackets, unlike wood, are designed to last a lifetime and never need replacement. They can be custom fabricated from manufacturers and are readily available with quick turnarounds.

Decorative

Architectural PVC Brackets are typically made using a laminating technique. Sometimes they are hollowed out to allow for dead wood installation from the sides. Other times they are made solid and can be mounted with a construction adhesive or with the use of lag screws. AZEK brackets are typically non-structural due to the thermal nature of the PVC and should not be used for structural overhangs without additional support.

PVC Architectural Brackets and Decorative Corbels

PVC brackets are more similar to foam, or urethane brackets, in the sense that they are designed to last forever, but act non-structurally. The advantage to PVC over foam is in customization. PVC brackets do not require expensive moulding techniques and can be hand crafted with relative ease.

PVC Architectural Brackets and Decorative Corbels

Matt Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, a millworks company that specializes in affordable no rot exterior products made from cellular PVC. They manufacture custom PVC brackets and decorative architectural brackets for a variety of architectural applications and can custom make them in a wide range of sizes. Click the links for more details.

When the first employee punch clock was invented in 1888, its only purpose was to record the time employees entered and left the factory. The date and time information stamped on the original timecard gave the factory owner an official record of the time worked by each employee. Today, punch clocks are expensive to buy, difficult to maintain, reduce employee accountability, are inefficient, and make payroll processing difficult. In our current technologically advanced business environment, computer time clock software is the best choice for punch clock replacement.

Punch Clocks Are Expensive to BuyYou can expect to pay well over 0 for a simple mechanical time clock. Electric digital time clocks are significantly more. By the time you add magnetic card swiping capabilities, proximity badges, or biometric stations to your new time and attendance system the cost can quickly add up to thousands of dollars just to track time for a few employees. If you want to keep your business organized and your staff connected, then you will also need to purchase a separate In/Out board to keep track of employee availability. You can keep initial costs to a minimum by using computer time clock software as a punch clock replacement.

Clock

Punch Clocks Are Difficult to MaintainOnce you bring your new punch clock back to the office, it is not long before the first unexpected maintenance costs arrive. You will need to purchase employee timecards, ribbons, and badges. The cost to replace mechanical time clock motors, gears, stamp assemblies, and extra access keys can add up quickly. Unexpected time clock repairs and regular maintenance service can be costly and terribly inconvenient. Most of the time, you have to ship your time clock back to the manufacturer or their authorized representative for repairs or service. You can eliminate ongoing maintenance costs by using computer time clock software as a punch clock replacement.

Punch Clocks Reduce Employee AccountabilityAre you sure you are paying your employees for the time they actually work? With a mechanical time clock, it is easy for employees to punch in and out for each other. You may be paying wages for employees arriving late or leaving early. When employees know buddy punching is going on, it creates an office environment of distrust, frustration, and reduced productivity. Time and attendance software will instantly, accurately, and impartially record every employee punch time so you can have confidence employees are being paid for all hours they have worked. Save money and increase worker morale by finding a punch clock replacement to hold employees accountable for their reported time worked.

Punch Clocks Are InefficientA mechanical punch clock may not take up much room, but this makes it limited in its application. Most employers place a time clock in a central location like a break room or employee entrance. Employees using alternate entrances or working in a large building may have a difficult time accessing the clock in a timely manner. It is easy for lines to quickly form around the time clock during busy times of the day. This can be frustrating for workers who are now late to lunch, or arrived to work on time but their timecards show that they punched in late. Your time clock may be small, but it likely has a storage rack nearby to hold the employee timecards or badges. These storage racks can be bulky and unsightly. You will also need someplace to store all of the old timecards to confirm historic payroll records, not to mention all the extra time clock supplies you will have to keep on hand to make sure you do not run out. Using computer time clock software as a punch clock replacement can help your office staff be more efficient.

Punch Clocks Make Payroll Processing DifficultIt is easy for employee timecards to become misaligned. This makes them extremely difficult to read as punches begin to overprint one another. Failing clock ribbons also make timecards hard to read or leave timecards with missing information. Missing employee timecards further add to the frustration. Timecards can be full of hand written notes explaining missed or late punches. All of those notes have to be deciphered, interpreted, and corrected before payroll can be processed. This just increases the time and effort required to prepare payroll for input into your payroll software, or sent to your accountant or payroll service. When regular hours and overtime must be manually calculated, the chance of making an error increases and it is difficult to determine which payroll rules apply to which employees. Using computer time clock software as a punch clock replacement can help you avoid such labor intensive payroll processing.

Jeffery Morrow is a computer time clock technical support specialist at Redcort Software. Redcort Software has been developing, publishing and supporting time and attendance software since 1986 and on the Internet since 1997. Tens of thousands of workers at businesses in nearly two dozen countries rely on Virtual TimeClock software every business day. Virtual TimeClock software is so easy to install and configure that it can be affordably deployed on any PC or Mac computer at your business.

Grandfather clocks. Amazing pieces of machinery. Very few people understand how they work and even fewer know how to fix one, should something go wrong. Bringing to a repair shop is going to cost you an arm and a leg, so if you have a grandfather clock that's not exactly running up to snuff and you don't have the bucks to fix it, then you might want to try to tackle the job by yourself. In order to do that, aside from needing some mechanical expertise, you're going to need some troubleshooting tips, since these marvels can get pretty complicated. This article is going to cover some of the things to do when trying to fix the old man.

Let's start with the most common problem of a grandfather clock. The pendulum itself stops swinging.

Clock

The first thing you have to do is make sure the clock weights have been pulled up. Sometimes all that needs to be done is simply wind the weights. This can really save an unnecessary repair.

Grandfather Clock Do It Yourself Repair - Part I

Next check the hands. Are they touching each other? If they are this will stop the pendulum from swinging. If they are touching and the time train is jammed all you need to do is push the hour hand slightly towards the dial in order to clear the minute hand. Just make sure it doesn't touch the dial.

Next, check to see if the hands are touching the glass. If they are, all you have to do is bend the minute hand away from the glass.

If by some chance you've recently moved your grandfather clock (they are very temperamental and don't like to be moved), the pendulum may have stopped swinging because the case is now leaning at a different angle. To fix this you simply have to start the pendulum swinging and balance your clock. Don't use a level. Continue testing until the swinging sounds more balanced. This requires a good ear and a lot of patience. Balancing the clock itself may require you to do one of several things.

First you may have to actually place something under the clock on either the left or right side to get the pendulum swinging just right. A bracket or shim will probably do the trick for this.

Second, you may have to actually tip the clock itself towards the wall so that it is slightly leaning. You have to be very careful when performing these tricky manoeuvres. You don't want to tip the clock too far in either direction or back. The clock may fall too far off balance and spill to the floor. Trying to catch one of these falling monsters is not easy so care is needed.

In the next article in this series we're going to continue with troubleshooting techniques to figure out just what is wrong with the old man, including running too fast or slow, weights not falling, chimes out of sequence and others. By the time we're done your grandfather clock should be as good as old.

As far as 19th century antique wall clocks are concerned, the best known maker is Seth Thomas who started his business in 1813 manufacturing wooden gear clocks. By the 1850's brass was being used in the mass-production of clocks. These days antique wall clocks made by Willard, Ingraham, Ansonia and of course, Seth Thomas clocks are all of interest to collectors. One type of wall clock to look out for is the Willard banjo- shaped wall clock. A banjo clock made by Willard or his descendants who carried on the business is a very valuable item in the current market.

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If you're looking at an antique wall clock in a wood case, check that it has its original finish. The dial also needs to be in good condition. If it's a paper dial it shouldn't have any abrasions or be dark and stained. Porcelain dials shouldn't have any chips or cracks. Always inspect the case and the dial carefully before you buy an antique wall clock.

19th Century Antique Wall Clocks

To check if the clock mechanism is any good give the pendulum a little push and see if it runs. If it runs for about 5 minutes and then stops, it probably only needs a normal service. But if you push the pendulum of an antique wall clock and don't hear any ticking sound, it's got a broken spring. When the powerful spring breaks it usually damages other gears and shafts and gear teeth get sheared off. This means that the clock would be very expensive to repair.

Another trick to check if the clock mechanism is in good condition is to advance the hands to the hour and if it strikes, even if it sounds a bit slow, this means that it's worth repairing. So listen for ticking and striking to check the condition of the movement.

Dating of 19th century antique wall clocks can be made by looking at catalogue reprints starting from the 1850's - 1930's. If your clock is in the catalogue you have a good idea of when it was made. However, with some popular timepieces that were made for decades it can be difficult to pin down the exact year it was produced.

The 'schoolhouse' d, also known as the drop octagon wall clock, is an example of this but when you look at the movement you might see a patent date. That can give you the earliest date that a particular clock was manufactured, but even that's not certain. Sometimes the patent dates were stamped in the mechanisms for twenty years after the patent was granted.

Another thing to look out for when you're inspecting a clock is what is called a 'marriage', where the movement doesn't match the case. This will greatly reduce the value of the object. If you look at the case at the back where the movement is mounted and there is a set of holes that isn't being used, that's a tell-tale sign that there's a mismatch. Another easy way to check for a 'marriage' is to check all the trademarks ' components. The dial, the mechanism and the pendulum weight often all have a trademark and you can check to see if they match or not. If a pendulum weight isn't original, it doesn't really affect the price, but if the movement isn't original then the value of the antique wall clock will be much lower.

Trends in collecting antique wall clocks go up and down all the time, so it's impossible to say which are the best clocks to acquire. Ones with original pillar and scroll feet are very collectible mantel clocks which are fetching good prices at the moment. Collecting antique wall clocks is really more of a hobby than a business, but it can be a really interesting and rewarding pastime. I spend many a happy hour sorting through old clocks in junk shops and sometimes, if you have the knowledge to see it, you can find a very valuable antique!

19th Century Antique Wall Clocks

Hassan Ouda is a sublime devoted author He writes articles on several subjects including publishing ebook. You can read more of Hassan's articles at Personalized Wall Clocks located at

We expect a lot from our clocks. We expect them to be breathtakingly beautiful. We expect them to make a strong statement about our status in life. They should brighten our home with their elegance. Their rich chimes should fill our life with music. Above all else, though, they should be reliable and steadfast.

At some point, we've all heard the phrase that something works "like clockwork." That is how dependable we expect our clocks to be. We think of them as infallible. Clocks have become a symbol of everything strong and faithful. In fact, we put our lives in their hands, trusting them to keep us on time, on track, and on schedule. What could be a better symbol of steadfast loyalty than the grandfather clock? Standing well over 6 feet tall and constructed of solid wood, they are the very picture of faithful duty.

Clock

In the world of grandfather clocks, German grandfather clocks are known to be well-made and valuable. They are among the most respected and trusted clocks of all. In fact, some of the most revered antique grandfather clocks are of German craft. Harfen-Gong grandfather clocks, for example, are German-made antiques. Many are still working today, which is further testimony to the quality of German craftsmanship. Another popular German clock was made by Berger & Wuerker in the early 1900s.

The German Grandfather Clock Tradition

German parts are often an intricate ingredient even in clocks made in other parts of the world. In any country, German movements are synonymous with quality and reliability. The oldest existing maker of mechanical movements is the Kieninger Clock Factory, founded in Germany in 1912 by Joseph Kieninger. Today, many of the world's best clocks, such as Howard Miller and Ridgeway, rely on the technology of German movements.

Though most grandfather clocks are not actually made in Germany today, the German technology is still the driving force behind some of the greatest and most valuable grandfather clocks on the market.

The German Grandfather Clock Tradition

Grandfather Clocks Info provides detailed information on antique, contemporary, discount, English, and German grandfather clocks, as well as kits and repair information. Grandfather Clocks Info is the sister site of Cuckoo Clocks Web.

ESCAPEMENT is part of the clock that controls speed and regularity by converting continuous rotational energy into discrete motions. This is accomplished through the use of gears and a lever attached to a pendulum. the most common form in use today powered by key wound springs.

When the pendulum swings the lever locks in the tooth of the gear, this is the tick. The back swing of the pendulum the lever releases the gear, this is the tock. The process is repeated over an over until the clock needs winding. Thus, the familiar tick tock of a clock. The speed and accuracy of the clock is achieved by adjusting the pendulum bob up or down. Adjusting the bob up speeds the clock, adjusting the bob down slows the clock.

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Mechanical Clock Movements

The earliest escapement can be traced back to a Buddhist monk Yi Xing in china around 725A.D. He was also a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, and mechanical engineer of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). His contribution was designing and operating a water-powered armillary sphere.

Many escapements have been designed and developed over the years. One that predates the pendulum around 1275A.D. is the Verge escapement, also known as the crown-wheel-and-verge escapement. This escapement design and function is similar to a teeter- totter on a playground. The problem was this system had no natural frequency of oscillation, it is simply force pushing inertia around.

The next development was attaching the verge escapement to a pendulum. Galileo had the idea for a pendulum clock in 1637. This increased the accuracy of clocks enormously, from about 15 minutes per day to 15 seconds per day, leading to their rapid spread as existing clocks were retrofitted with pendulums. In order for this to work the axis of the verge became horizontal. This design was good at keeping time, but the swing of the pendulum was very wide up to 100 degrees.

Anchor escapement also known as recoil escapement was the next big development in 1670. The swing of the pendulum was greatly reduced to 4-6 degrees. The teeth of an anchor escape wheel project radially from the edge of the wheel, much like an up side down anchor. The second pendulum clock was built by Christian Huygens, in 1673. Development of this escapement allowed the introduction of the long clock better know as a grandfather clock, made by William Clement around 1680. The increased accuracy resulting from these developments caused the minute hand, previously rare, to be added to clock faces beginning around 1690.

Improvements in designs lead to the Dead beat escapement introduced around 1715 by George Graham. This design lead to the lever escapement. The up side down anchor was given a rounded edge so as not to lock the gear. This allowed the pendulum to operate the clock on both back and forth swings. Wear on the escapement was greatly reduced. In most wall clocks that use a pendulum, the pendulum swings once per second. In small cuckoo clocks the pendulum might swing twice a second. In large grandfather clocks, the pendulum swings once every two seconds,

The lever escapement is widely used and very accurate. Clocks today have a very long and rich history. Depending on which clock suits your need or desire you can have confidence in there accuracy and dependability.

Candle clocks are one of the ways that ancient people attempted to use natural phenomenon to keep accurate record of the time during the day. They consist of a long thin candle, which is marked at even intervals. When the candle is lit it burns down at a relatively steady pace, and by keeping track of which mark the flame is at, you can get a rough estimate of how much time has passed since it was lit.

It is almost impossible to know when the first candle clock was used, as the practice of marking candles may have been in use throughout the world for centuries before it was ever recorded. Our first written reference to the use of a kind of candle clock comes from a poem written by Chinese thinker You Jiangu, around the year 520 AD. In the work, the candle clock is referenced as a way of telling what time it was during the night, when the sun could not be used. We also have evidence of these candles being used in Japan until about the 10th century AD.

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The most famous candle clock was used by King Alfred the Great of England. This clock consisted of six candles, each crafted to be exactly twelve inches in height, and precisely uniform in width. These candles each had 12 marks, with each mark representing twenty minutes, and the entire candle set to burn away every four hours. At four hours each the 6 candles were able to maintain a steady reading of the time, for a full 24 hour period, without being replenished. The candles themselves were protected by wooden frames with glass paneling that allowed the time to be monitored.

Candle Clocks - History and Purpose

In 1206 Al-Jazari fashioned what are considered the most complex and ingenuous candle clocks ever made. These clocks used weight and counterbalance, to move a series of automata which displayed a read out of the time. As the candle burned, it became lighter, and the counterweights would move, allowing the device to operate. These clocks were the first to use a bayonet fitting, which is a fastening mechanism which is still employed to this day.

While candle clocks were relatively accurate, it was still impossible to completely control the speed at which the flame would burn and the max would melt. The fact that the max would melt unevenly could also cause problems with the accuracy of these timepieces. They were generally abandoned in favor of mechanical clocks once they became widely available.

Candle Clocks - History and Purpose

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Digital technology may have already progressed exponentially, but most of us still have a rather strange attraction to analog wall clocks. Who can blame us? These grand timepieces symbolize a period in human history when craftsmanship was much more important than technology.

History of wall clocks

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The modern-day wall clocks we have today come from a long line of crude clocks.

Wall Clocks

The Sundial. The earliest clock instrument used for telling time was the sundial. The sundial tells the time of the day based on the shadows that the sun's rays cast on the marked surfaces. In its crudest form, the sundial is made up of poles or sticks set on the ground. Most wall clocks are still hinged on the sundial's look - in fact, some wall clocks are purposely designed to look like old sundials.

Wall clocks with brass dials. These were perhaps the earliest wall clocks made for mass use. But back then, these timepieces were very expensive. It took craftsmen several months to finish one. Only the nobility were able to display these brass dials in their mansions and palaces.

Start of the painted dials. Britain was first to revamp the traditional brass dials and introduce the modern clock dials we have today. Painted dials soon grew in popularity and were produced for the use of the masses. During this era, wall clocks started to be used not only for timekeeping but also as decorative and commemorative pieces. British capitalists started to use them to mark and celebrate various religious and cultural events and even famous sports and war victories.

Modern wall clocks. Most modern wall clocks are now mass-produced and made of cheaper materials such as plastic and metal. Technology enables manufacturers to fabricate wall clocks quickly without sacrificing quality. These pieces are now available for as little as .

There are still, however, specially made clocks that are loyal to original craftsmanship and design. These types still cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, but many people invest in them for decorative purposes - and their decision makes sense. Wall clocks are, after all, still cheaper than paintings but add just the same character and elegance to any wall.

A wall clock is one of the most functional and decorative pieces in any home. With the advance in technology, digital clocks have become popular but still the prominence of wall clocks have not diminished. Even today most people prefer traditional varieties as it exudes a unique charm and classic elegance. Traditional clocks with minute hands and second hands are used even in schools so that children can learn to tell time accurately.

Wall clocks are both functional and decorative with its unique shapes and styles. Today timepieces are used to add to the decor of a home as there are a huge variety of clocks available today.

\"Decorative Wall Clocks\"

Most people prefer to use decorative wall clocks as it enhances the decor of the entire room. Decorative clocks are made of different materials which include wood, silver, metal and acrylic. Today it is easy to find clocks based on different themes. There are clocks which are designed specifically for kids with beautiful shapes resembling cartoon characters.

All About Decorative Wall Clocks

Pendulum wall clocks are the traditional varieties of timepieces which are still bought by most of the people. These traditional varieties add a classic touch to any decor. It exudes a rustic appeal to homes and office spaces. Modern pendulum clocks are battery operated unlike the older models which included keys. The pendulums are placed behind etched glass doors. Modern pendulum clocks are available with a number of additional features such as hourly sounds, night time sound shut-off system and so forth. It is available in a huge variety of shapes and styles which include plain, octagonal and carved tops.

Hand crafted cuckoo clocks are available even today in most of the online and offline stores. The cuckoo comes through a small door of the clock to announce the hours. It was one of the most popular decorative clocks found in most of the homes. Today these clocks are available with many elaborate features.

Standard clocks include a simple round clock with black numbers and white face. Today standard clocks are available in a huge variety of shapes and styles. Standard clocks are available in different materials which include metal, wood, plastic and so forth.

There are many attractive varieties of wall clocks available online at unbelievable prices. Some of the most unique types of clocks include the wooden time-pieces with studded gems. There are designer clocks which are available at reasonable prices. One of the most exclusive pieces includes the dancing African ladies studded with exquisite gemstones. It is rectangular in shape and can add elegance to any room.

Decorative clocks are also made available according to the requisites of the customers. Digital clocks are also made available through online stores at various price rates. There are online stores which showcase timepieces with mosaic works on it which appears exclusive and unique.

All About Decorative Wall Clocks

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Nautical themes are very popular right now, especially for living room or bedroom décor. When you're planning to use a nautical theme, the first thing you should do is paint the walls blue, like the water. Depending on your tastes you can use anything from very pale blue to bright or dark blue; any shade of blue will work with a nautical theme. When decorating your nautical themed living room or bedroom, consider scenes you may encounter when walking along a boardwalk or at a marina, and use those as your inspiration.

Nautical décor should include elements that you would find on a boat. Natural ropes, netting, accents in bright red and white, and a porthole motif can all be easy ways to tie everything together. You can also add a few flags tied to the tallest piece of furniture in the room, or use wooden flags that can be hung around the top of the walls all the way around your room. If you have wood paneling, don't cover it up; wood paneling on interior walls can remind you of the interior cabin on a ship or inside a beach house.

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For the walls and windows, canvas is a traditional material that is very popular in nautical décor. It can be used for curtains, dust ruffles for the bed, and other details. Canvas curtains hung with the use of large eyelets are a classic piece of nautical décor. You can even recycle an old sail, if you have access to one. The canvas can also be used to cover cushions or throw pillows.

Decorating a Nautical Themed Living Room Or Bedroom

Use natural wood furniture or paint your furniture white or cream, possibly with a distressed look, to make it fit in with your nautical décor. The paint should not be shiny or new-looking; it should look as if the furniture has had years of use on the beach or out to sea. If you're choosing a whole new set of furniture to go with the nautical look, go for those that look like they belong in a beach cabin, including Adirondack chairs and wooden furniture. If you want to get creative with the furniture, you can even use a hammock for a chair or bed to represent a fishing net. Boat shaped beds are also a possibility. If you choose to stay with a regular bed, use blue and white bedding with red accents. These are the traditional "nautical" colors.

As for as decorations are concerned, paddles and oars are an appropriate touch for any nautical-themed room. Pictures of sailing boats or other nautical or beach themes can be a great way to provide a centerpiece in the room. Model sailboats, lighthouses, anchors, ship wheels, life rings, and vintage glass fishing floats can bring a nautical style to the walls, bookshelves, and tables in the room.

When done right, a nautical themed room is unique and inviting. It should instantly remind you of the seaside. If you want your room to be more relaxing than exciting, choose a color scheme consisting of white, khaki, and any shade of blue. Adding a pop of red or yellow can add excitement to the room.

Decorating a Nautical Themed Living Room Or Bedroom

Royal Tiki specializes in genuine Hawaiian-made Nautical Decor that will be perfect for your Nautical themed Living Room or Bedroom.

Murals are commonly used as decorations, to brighten up the otherwise dull and staid walls. They add color to the walls and create a delightful atmosphere in the rooms. Murals are used indoors and outdoors and come in different varieties.

The different types of wall murals include painted murals, tile murals and Ceramic murals. Painted murals are those in which the surface of the wall is painted. The basis of the design to be painted on the wall is pre-decided. The designs may be created in clay or on ceramic leaves, before creating the actual murals on the wall. Painted murals are extremely popular with children. They find themselves involved in the whole process, right from conceptualization of the theme, to manufacturing and assembling them. Parents also prefer painted murals, as they are relieved from the worry that accompanies their children occupying the ground space.

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Tile murals, as the name suggests, are first painted on the tiles and then fixed on the walls. Tile murals have the quality of making a cold, dull place look attractive and interesting. Ordinary bathroom tiles can be used for the purpose. The tiles are cut into pieces depending on the design. They are then painted using englaze enamel. These murals can be big or small and give a complete new look to the room and even exteriors.

Types Of Wall Murals

Ceramic murals are made of mosaic, mirror, tiles and ceramic pieces. They are excellent portrayals of artistic and creative skills .The ceramic designs are first made with clay and baked in a kiln. These murals are long and are generally inspired by canvasses.

In addition to the above murals, climbing wall and traversing wall are other versions of wall murals. Wall murals lend a beautiful and colorful ambience to the interiors and the exteriors of a home.

Feng Shui has to do with the balancing of energies in a home or office. Where you decide to put a wall clock can have a big influence on the feng shui of both the room it is in, and even of that of the entire house. While it isn't considered bad feng shui to have a clock on the wall in your house, where you put it does matter. In addition, the type of clock you have can affect the feng shui of your home or office as well. Here is a guide to help you choose a good location for your clock.

Good places to put wall clocks are the dining room and the kitchen. The kitchen is a place of action and activity, and a clock is handy in keeping track of time for cooking and leaving the house on time. Many people choose to put a large wall clock in the living room. Although this isn't really bad feng shui, having a clock in the room where you do relaxing things can disturb the tranquility a little. Glancing up at the clock on the wall can make you think of all the things you need to get done. It depends upon what kind of person you are. If you are a procrastinator and spend too much time watching TV, a clock will remind you to get up and do something else. On the other hand, if you are a work-a-holic, you might not be able to truly settle down and relax with a clock on the wall. A simple solution might be to put it on the wall behind the couch or TV.

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It is considered bad feng shui to put a clock at the entrance to your house, so guests see it right away when they walk in the door. You want to make your home feel welcoming, and a clock will set an imposing tone, especially if guests are a few minutes late. Another bad location to put a wall clock is in the bedroom. In addition to disturbing your relaxation, in the silence of the night you can usually hear the "tick tock tick tock" of a clock and it can have a negative impact on your sleep. Use a small battery powered alarm clock instead.

The Feng Shui Guide to Wall Clocks For the Home and Office

For the office, a wall clock is the norm. It is good feng shui, and will help to keep your work pace on schedule. Choose a clock that fits well with the interior design of your office. Many office settings are very bland with no distinguishable decorations, so a unique, decorative wall clock will brighten things up a bit.

Daylight savings time - we have all heard of it. Most of us participate in it... but what exactly is daylight savings time, and why do we have it?

Daylight savings time was started so that we could "save" daylight. The United States went on "extended daylight savings time" around 1975.

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Daylight savings time keeps the daylight for when we want it - during the time that we are active at work and school. It is most common in temperate regions, because of the great variation in the amount of daylight versus darkness throughout the seasons in these regions.

Daylight Savings Times - Why We Have It, Why We Should Have It, Why We Should Not

Is daylight savings time really necessary, though? Does it really help us if it starts to get light outside at 7am rather than 8am, etc.? One of the major reasons for daylight savings time does not have to do with peoples' preferences at all. Rather, one of the major reasons for daylight savings time is for energy conservation.

In theory, residential electricity use is reduced because of daylight savings time - the amount of electricity that people use at home is contingent upon when the sun sets. If the sun sets closer to the time a person goes to bed, that person will not need to use as much electricity as he would if the sun set long before he went to bed.

People tend to go to bed at the same time all year round. Therefore, if we artificially move the sunset one hour later, a person will need to use less energy in the summer - he will not need to keep the lights on as long just because it is dark outside if he is in bed.

The need for morning lighting in the winter is also important. During the summer, people generally wake up after the sunrises no matter what - the days are simply longer. During the winter, though, people are only likely to wake up after the sunrises if the time of that sunrise is artificially changed by daylight savings time.

Daylight savings also allows an increase in opportunities for outdoor activities. It is important that people get out and do something and remain active, even during the winter months, and it helps if it is still light outside when they want to be outside.

Daylight savings is also good because it is light outside when people drive home from work - there is less of a chance of accidents when the drivers can see better because of the light. There is also the chance that daylight savings time reduces crime (it reduces that chance that a person will be the target of crimes that are more commonly committed in dark areas).

Of course, not all people have good things to say about daylight savings time. In fact, daylight savings time is not accepted universally. There are many places that do not actually observer daylight savings. Many people do not like have to adjust their clocks twice a year for so few perceived benefits. Other people do not like the disruptions in sleep patterns from setting the clock forward or back - this actually correlates with auto accidents and lost productivity. Also, some people simply forget to change their clocks and they may show up late or early to work, etc.

Also, daylight savings time may add to an increase in summertime air conditioning costs. More sunlight at home means that people are also experiences more heat at home. Air conditioning often uses even more electricity than lighting does.

There is also the chance that because of the added daylight, more people are going to jump in their cars to enjoy it, and therefore add to pollution.

Also, people working in agriculture do not appreciate daylight savings time - their animals most certainly do not observe it!

There are many more reasons why people do not like daylight savings time. Many of the reasons that people criticize daylight savings time are the same reasons that people praise it - there is debate over whether or not daylight savings time actually decreases the energy that people use or the number of traffic accidents. There are many more experiments that must be run before it can be decided exactly how good of an idea daylight savings time really is.

Daylight Savings Times - Why We Have It, Why We Should Have It, Why We Should Not

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on history and clocks, please visit Wall Clocks.

Whether it's an office holiday party, an anniversary celebration or simply an appreciation day, office gifts are great for showing you care about those you work side-by-side with each day. Not sure what gift to bring? Here are eight unique gift ideas for the office to get your wheels turning.

1. Everyday Items

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No matter what the occasion, everyday items such as housewares, jewelry, bath items, kitchen items, and garden accessories still make great gifts - especially for women. Inquire beforehand about the color of their kitchen or bathroom, or the theme of their yard or garden. Then, you can choose accessories for their home or garden that will blend nicely with their home decor. They'll appreciate your thoughtfulness!

8 Unique Gift Ideas for the Office and Coworkers

2. Collectibles

If your co-worker collects certain items such as figurines, porcelain dolls, or model cars and model ships, you can give a gift that they can add to their collection. The great thing about collectibles is they are useful, often decorative, and can be a keepsake for a lifetime.

3. Gifts for Inspiration

Inspire your co-workers with poetic books or inspirational paintings. Find out what type of art they enjoy. Also, be sure they enjoy reading before buying books. Patriotic gifts can also be inspirational.

4. Gifts for Him

For the men in your workplace, focus on gift product categories such as sporting goods, automotive, and travel. Men are often fascinated with new tools, electronic products such as cell phones and iPods, and anything to do with the outdoors.

5. Gifts for Her

When buying for a female co-worker, you usually can't go wrong with items such as housewares, health and beauty products, jewelry, photo albums, and home and bath accessories. Most women also love to shop, so gift cards to their local department store would make a great gift!

6. Gifts for the Boss

Buying for the boss can be a daunting task. Don't let it worry you. Buy for your boss just as you would anyone else. Treat him or her like they're part of the office, not just a boss. Get to know their likes and dislikes before buying. You can buy something to decorate their office or to make their work easier, or you can be more personal with your gift. Other gift ideas for bosses include pen sets, gift baskets, and organizers. If you work where it is prohibited to give individual gifts to the boss, suggest a group gift from all the workers if that's allowed.

7. Gifts for Employees

If you are "the boss" then you understand how important it is to give gifts to employees. Gifts should be given not only during holidays, but also several times throughout the year to show appreciation for an employee's hard work. Some gifts you can give employees can be gift cards, company T-shirts or sweat shirts, organizers for their desks, and best of all - a bonus check! You can also hold a company picnic for all employees to enjoy.

8. Office Chinese Auction Gifts

If your office is holding a Chinese auction for gift-exchanges, then consider a gift that would be fitting for a male or female. Some ideas are decorative items such as wall clocks or wall calendars, or office-related items. There are also gift cards, tickets to a popular local event, and electronics.

To find great gifts for the office, you can visit an online store and enjoy shopping from home. At online stores, you can find all your gifts plus other items, such as toys, sports memorabilia, men's and women's apparel, and more. Some sites even offer a gift registry for bridal and baby showers. You can search for gifts and other products through categories and easily find what you need.

Use these office gift ideas for guidance as you buy gifts for your co-workers, employees, or boss on the next special occasion.

Buying a gift for a couple getting married has become easier with the addition of gift registries in recent years. The bride and groom simply put down all of the things they would like to receive as gifts and the store keeps track of it all for you and ships out the present to the couple. This is great for the younger couple that is just starting out and does not own anything because they really have not lived on their own for too long. But, for the older couple or the pair that is entering a second marriage, generic gift registries do not really work that well. This article will offer some helpful suggestions on what gifts you can get for the couple getting married that already have all of the basics. Some of the ideas are very special custom clocks or mantel clocks a personalized silver frame or photo album, a gift basket geared specifically toward the couples' interests, or a week long stay at your vacation property.

There are only so many mixing bowls and blenders you need and years down the road, you probably will not remember who gave you that gift either. Stepping out of the box to get a special and unique gift will be cherished for a lifetime. One very special idea is to buy a custom clock for the couple to proudly display on their mantel. This could be a gift that all of the siblings go in on together for the wedding of their oldest brother. Taking the time to personalize and customize a clock will really show a lot of thought going into that gift. Quality clocks can last forever and it something that people do not really spend the money on to purchase for themselves, so it is the perfect wedding gift.

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Another nice idea is to get a silver frame personalized with the wedding date on it that the couple can put a wedding photo in. It makes a classic statement and something that people can always use. If you would rather, you can have a personalized leather photo album made with the date and couples monograms on it too.

Great Gift Suggestions on What to Get For the Couple That Has Everything and Are Getting Married

Making your own gift basket that is specifically geared toward the couple is a nice gift that shows you took the time to really think about them and what they enjoy doing. For example, if they love camping you could put together a camping theme basket with weather proof blankets and day packs filled with personalized water bottles and other fun camping essentials. Because it is unique, they will always remember what you gave them for their wedding.

No matter what type of budget you have to purchase a wedding gift, you can take the time to really get something that is a real personal gift from you. Some of these ideas are easy to do on your own while others that are more expensive may be good to do as a group gift. They will really appreciate the extra thought that goes into a special gift.

Great Gift Suggestions on What to Get For the Couple That Has Everything and Are Getting Married

Connor R. Sullivan recently searched the internet for handmade custom clocks for an anniversary gift for his parents. He ordered a couple of mantel clocks for upcoming wedding gifts.